The best thing about getting your engagement ring custom made is that ‘mundane’ doesn’t have to be part of your repertoire.
In fact, why should it be? There are too many people out there who are already wearing the exact same ring as thousands of total strangers around the world.
Need some inspiration? Here are 5 unconventional engagement ring ideas to show you how other people have broken the rules and designed a ring that’s uniquely theirs.
Spot the fishy secret in this engagement ring
First up, one of our first ever bespoke engagement ring designs! Tom wanted an engagement ring for his girlfriend, Claudia. The requirements were pretty flexible: It should be in white gold, the stone should be green… oh and “can you put a fish on it?”
It wasn’t enough just to stick a fish reference somewhere on the ring. It needed to be a prominent, integrated element of the design, but at the same time a subtle secret feature that could be shown off if desired.
When the design finally hit paper, we knew that was the one for sure. Can you see the fish?
When Tom asked for a ring he couldn’t have imagined how well Fairina would have interpreted his idea. It was much better than he had imagined. It was creative yet a subtle design that matched my personality and taste to a t. I love wearing it and get comments all the time about its amazing design. Thanks so much for the ring that suits us and will be part of our story forever xxxxx.
Claudia CowellSydney, Australia
An artist’s engagement ring
Jana, an art teacher, wasn’t interested in the traditional bling and wasn’t looking to flaunt a flashy solitaire. Instead, she wanted an unconventional engagement ring that was uniquely hers, inspired by the works of her favourite Austrian artist and architect, Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
Crafted in white gold, the finished design featured a deliberately rough, asymmetric profile, with freehand lines (inspired by the forms in Hundertwasser’s paintings) carved into the surface of the ring. Seven carefully selected gemstones adorned its surface:
- Three deep blue Australian sapphires, for the country where they met
- An orange citrine, Jana’s birthstone
- Three yellow sapphires, a third colour to represent a soon-to-arrive addition to their little family
Fairina is an amazing jewellery designer who can tailor the designing process to the exact needs of the customer whilst still remaining incredibly creative and innovative. The ring she made for me is a unique piece of jewellery inspired by the Austrian architect Hundertwasser, though many see the resemblance of Mondrian which makes it not only wearable, but moreover an artwork.
Jana TanaskovskaSydney, Australia
A proposal in paradise
Right from the first time I spoke to Sebastian, it was clear that Mary was special. He proposed on Valentine’s Day at a luxurious, eco-friendly resort in Mexico, with a ring that matched the blues of the sky and the sea that surrounded them.
Sebastian chose a gorgeous pear shaped Ceylonese sapphire – a beautiful blue with lighter flashes that dance along the centre of the stone.
Instead of the traditional vertical orientation, we angled the sapphire to allow the ring band to flow seamlessly around the bezel, and lined each side with a row of sparkling diamonds.
To make the occasion even more memorable, we filmed a personalised video to show Mary exactly how her ring was handcrafted.
“The ring is perfect. The light blue essence of the sapphire matches the tone and the colour of light that I see radiate from Mary everyday. Its sparkle is there to remind of her own beauty, and the light that it brings to all that she encounters.”
Sebastian AguayoVancouver, Canada
Turning old into new
Designed to capture Olivia and Paul’s love of nature, this ring also incorporates the history of a family. The diamond and white gold were repurposed from Olivia’s mum’s old engagement ring – a more sustainable and affordable option than using new materials.
The diamond is set in a simple floral shaped setting inspired by their love of flowers, plants and nature. It was the perfect way to turn the past into a story that’s just beginning.
I came to Fairina with my mother’s old diamond ring with dreams of transforming it into a new engagement ring. Fairina turned my broad thoughts into an elegant, creative and personal design. She was responsive at answering my questions and kept me updated with each step of the ring crafting process. My partner and I are ecstatic about the ring – it’s beautiful, made with love and is more special than anything we could have bought at a store.
Olivia LoweSydney, Australia
Opposites attract
They say that “opposites attract” and this was clearly the case for Linda and Ben. Right from the beginning, it was clear how different (and yet how perfect) they were for each other.
They didn’t want a traditional engagement ring. Linda was a yoga teacher and a decidedly anti-diamond girl.
The flowing ring band, its shiny and matte surfaces and a black and white sapphire represent the duality of life and Linda and Ben’s mind-bogglingly opposing but ultimately complementary differences.
The ring’s surfaces form a Möbius strip (and when viewed from the side at a certain angle, an infinity sign). Like Linda and Ben, it features different planes on the same continuous path, connected by the same values and enduring desire to learn from and grow with each other, despite all the differences.
“Fairina was great to work with! Going into the process of designing our wedding rings, we had little to no idea what we wanted and she guided us through the process and how we could combine different ideas. Fairina also handled any concerns really well and was super pro-active. Fairina made sure we were always 100% satisfied and is generally an awesome personality – you’ll enjoy meeting her, so don’t hesitate.”
Ben WirtzSydney, Australia
Want something a little different?
I am a big fan of what I call “rule-breaking, story-making jewellery”. What does this mean? Well, first of all, it isn’t about flaunting a flashy diamond or choosing something generic out of a chain store window.
Creating a rule-breaking, story-making piece is about exploring what makes you “you”, and using that to design something so personalised, it couldn’t have been made for anyone else.
If that’s right up your alley, book a call or send an email to start the conversation!